LOHAS BUS CRASH MYSTERY INVESTIGATION DEEPENS, DRIVER ARRESTED

By James Ockenden on January 2, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The double-decker bus was freed from undergrowth at around 10:30pm last night, five hours after driver Mr Tsui crashed through railings into a ditch

Authorities still have no answers on the cause of a violent bus crash, 14 hours after the dramatic rescue of 31 passengers from a double-decker overturned in a Lohas Park ditch.

The 796P to Tsim Sha Tsui East, driven by 55-year-old Mr Tsui and carrying 31 passengers, suddenly left the road shortly after departing Lohas Park at around 5:15pm. The out-of-control double-decker destroyed road signs, a fire hydrant and railings and landed on its side in the inaccessible trench between the Jockey Club football pitches and the road.

Fire crews struggled to reach the injured and help passengers to safety, with the eight-wheeled bus nestled in thick underground, torn power cables exposed through the destroyed pavement and a strong smell of diesel in the location.

A police statement says 12 were injured, including five men and seven women aged between 39 and 76. Seven ambulances took the injured, mainly with hand injuries, to Tseung Kwan O Hospital.

The driver was arrested for dangerous driving last night, but as at 8:40am this morning police would not say whether he was yet released on bail or still being held.

The scene of the crash was midway along a half-kilometre two-lane straight carriageway, with the incident happening in clear fine weather an hour before dusk.

A police spokesman speaking last night said there was no evidence of obstruction in the road at the time of the crash and that the vehicle would be inspected by police for mechanical failure. An inspection of the scene last night showed there were no tyre skid marks or obvious barriers or obstructions.

The bus owner, Bravo, did not respond to multiple enquiries, while sources say the driver was embarking on the fourth trip of the 50km-round-trip route that day and was not overworked.

Transport Department has not responded to calls while police say they will update media as more information is available.

The prestigious district Lohas Park is named for the slogan “Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability”. But sustainable transport and road safety campaigners in Hong Kong have long questioned transport planning in the area, with no bike path connection along Lohas Park Road and long straight segregated roads encouraging high-speed motor traffic.